Music & Clubs

Foreverland

October 19, 2011 - by Aaron Carnes

NO MERE MORTAL CAN RESIST: Foreverland performs the 'Thriller' album at Avalon on Friday.

WHICH MUSIC VIDEOS are the greatest of all time is a matter of opinion—except when it comes to Halloween. For that, the undisputed number one is "Thriller." It's got everything: dancing, perfectly choreographed zombies; a young Michael Jackson that turns into a werewolf; and, of course, Vincent Price. While the rest of the Thriller album isn't about ghouls and things that go bump in the night, it is arguably one of the best pop records ever made. Foreverland, the Bay Area's 14-piece Michael Jackson tribute band, will be celebrating Halloween at the Avalon this year by performing the album in its entirety. Oh yeah, and they'll be doing it dressed as zombies on a graveyard stage.

They'll also do a second set of Michael Jackson/Jackson Five hits, for which they'll be joined by Pamela, their "Janet Jackson," who shares the stage with them only on rare occasions to do Janet medleys. MJ mania has only gotten more intense since his death, and interestingly it's not just old die-hard Jackson fans that come to see them. They are gaining newer, younger fans all the time, which is why they prefer all-ages shows like this one at Avalon. "A lot of people weren't even into Michael Jackson and somehow made it to a Foreverland show and became a fan, and now they have a new admiration for Michael Jackson," says Morty Okin, trumpet player for Foreverland.